Delicate Promises (Southern Bride 2)

“I thought you were freaked because I showed up five minutes before the wedding.”

He smirked. “Yeah and left five minutes after. That was another time Kynslee hit me with a million questions. Even Mom wondered how in the hell you had gotten there at the last minute and left just as quickly.”

I grinned. “I still can’t believe no one heard the helicopter.”

Rich laughed. “Everyone was already two sheets to the wind.”

We worked in silence a bit more.

“I still don’t see why you aren’t being honest with her, bro. It’s clear you love her, you want to be with her. Hell, you bought a ring for her and have been carrying it around. Tell her all of that. Women eat that shit up.”

“When I go to talk to her, I end up saying something that just pisses her off. I figured she stayed single because she knew eventually we’d be together. Why else would she tell Jack no?”

“What if she had told him yes?”

I stopped what I was doing and wiped my brow. “I would have had him killed.”

Rich laughed and then stopped when I didn’t. “Dude, you’re kidding, right?”

With a shrug, I went back to tossing the bales.

“So, you’re back and you want to make nice with Kynslee. You really think showing up and telling her you’re cashing in on a promise is going to do that?”

“Fine. That was a mistake. I don’t know what else to do. I haven’t seen her in five fucking years, and when I saw her, I sort of lost my mind for a minute. Or two. Hell, we’ve wasted so much time as it is.”

Rich threw up his arms. “How about asking her out on a date first, the old-fashioned way, since your tactics obviously aren’t working?”

“She’ll say no because she’s pissed at me.”

He groaned. “Okay, I meant it would have been nice if you had asked her out when you saw her, instead of handing her a ring and saying you needed to get married and start having kids.”

“Yeah, that was another blunder. No wonder she’s pissed at me.”

“Can’t say I blame her.”

Then an idea hit me. “I need to make her jealous. She saw that picture on social media of me with another woman, and she was furious.”

Rich’s mouth dropped open. “Remind me again why special ops wanted you again? You’re a damn idiot.”

“I know Kynslee. She wants what she doesn’t think she can have, which is why I think she’s waited all this time for me. I wasn’t available, and now I am so I need to make her think I’m not available again.”

He shook his head. “Miles. Don’t do this. It’s got huge fucking mistake written all over it and that’s not how Kynslee works. Twelve years is a long time to be apart. You both have changed, dude.”

With a wink, I replied, “Little brother, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“Thanks so much for meeting me, Becky.”

I grinned as we walked into the restaurant. The same restaurant I knew Kynslee would be at thanks to her mother telling me about their late birthday dinner. My plan had officially been put into action.

I’d been back in town for a week and had managed to run into Kynslee at The Mercantile, the grocery store, and the small gym in our tiny downtown. Where Kynslee was, I popped up. Even on her morning jog, there I was. Twelve years of military and CIA training assured that I would show up when she least expected it.

I knew I was driving her insane. And tonight wasn’t going to be any different. I was currently with someone I once took out in high school. A girl I figured Kynslee still disliked. After all, I had asked Kynslee to help me learn how to kiss just so I could kiss Becky Williams. I kissed Becky in middle school, then again in high school when I took her out. She happened to be divorced now, and I wasn’t sure if Kynslee seeing me with her would dredge up bad feelings again, but I was a betting man and knew Kyns would remember our history.

“I have to say I was so surprised when I ran into you at the grocery store earlier. And when you asked me out to dinner, well, it was a nice surprise.”

“Thought it might be nice to catch up and not in the middle of the produce aisle.” I gave her my best smile.

Her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, and I could literally read the dirty thoughts running through her mind.

Not happening, Becky. Not. Happening.

I hadn’t slept with anyone since I found out Kynslee had broken things off with Jack. In some weird ass way, it felt like I would be cheating on her. Since her break up with Jack three years ago, I hadn’t been with anyone, and I prayed like hell that Kynslee hadn’t either.